WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Many of the nation's top NCAA Division I women's golf teams will descend upon the Country Club of Landfall's Pete Dye Course this weekend for the 17th annual Landfall Tradition hosted by UNCW.
The three-day, 54-hole event begins with a split tee start at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27, 2018, and wraps up with a shotgun start at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. The tournament will be contested on the Par-72, 6,166-yard layout nestled along the Intracoastal Waterway near Wrightsville Beach.
Entering its 17th edition, this year's Landfall Tradition field features eight of the top teams in the latest WGCA rankings, including defending Landfall Tradition champion and No. 4-ranked Duke, which has won the event three times, including twice in the last three years.
No. 5 Virginia, which won the 2006 Landfall Tradition, returns last year's individual co-medalist, sophomore Beth Lillie, who shared the crown with Duke junior Ana Belac.
In addition to Duke and Virginia, this year's field includes host UNCW, Arkansas, Furman, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, South Carolina and Wake Forest.
UNCW, the only school to compete in the Landfall Tradition every year, placed 10th in last year's event, which was shortened due to rain on the final day. Junior
Thao My Nguyen led the Seahawks with a share of 15th place.
Landfall Tradition Storylines
View from the Top: A group of eight teams ranked in both the WGCA and GolfStat rankings are included in this year's field, including a pair of top-10 squads. Duke is ranked No. 4 on the WGCA list and holds the No. 5 spot in the GolfStat rankings while Virginia is No. 5 according to the WGCA and No. 4 by GolfStat.
Summit Meeting: Two of the nation's top-10 golfers will square off at the Landfall Tradition. Arkansas senior Dylan Kim is ranked second in the GolfStat rankings while Virginia senior Anna Redding follows in fifth place.
We're Back: Both of last year's individual medalists return to defend their Landfall Tradition title. Duke junior Ana Belac and Virginia sophomore Beth Lillie each posted a nine-under-par result last year to share the crown.
Connect Four: Duke and Wake Forest have a chance to win the Landfall Tradition for an unprecedented fourth time this year. The Blue Devils, who are the defending champions, also previously won the event in 2009 and 2015. Wake Forest, meanwhile, claimed the title in 2007, 2008 and 2014.
Going Back-to-Back: Duke can also become the third team to win the Landfall Tradition in consecutive years, joining New Mexico (2003-04) and Wake Forest (2007-08).
A Baker's Dozen: Purdue, NC State and Virginia will be making their 13th appearance in the Landfall Tradition, joining UNCW and Wake Forest as the only schools to play in at least 13 installments of the tournament
A New Perspective: Michigan State's Sarah Burnham, who won the 2015 Landfall Tradition individual crown and holds the tournament's Sunday round individual record, is in her first season as an undergraduate assistant coach after finishing her career last spring.
Welcome to the Club: Maryland makes its first-ever appearance in the Landfall Tradition, becoming the 54th different school to compete in the event over 17 years.
Hello Old Friend: Arkansas, which is playing in the Landfall Tradition for the third time, makes its first appearance in the tournament since 2003. The Razorbacks played in the first two editions of the Landfall Tradition.
ACC-tion: Atlantic Coast Conference teams have combined to win seven Landfall Tradition championships, including four of the last five titles. Virginia claimed the title in 2006, while Wake Forest and Duke have each won three times.
Sorry We Missed You: While Wake Forest returns to the tournament field this year, the Demon Deacons will be without the services of senior Jennifer Kupcho, the 2016 Landfall Tradition individual champion. Kupcho, who holds the tournament record for lowest tournament three-round score (207), is missing this weekend's tournament due to participating in LPGA Q-School.
